Elves Wanted: The Hobbit Casting on Lookout for Extras

Lucky actors in New Zealand have an opportunity to join the cast of The Hobbit (New Line)

Makers of the Hobbit film have released an advert seeking extras to play elves.

The highly anticipated film, directed by Peter Jackson and filmed in New Zealand, has announced another round of casting for extras.

The ad, posted on Trade Me Jobs, states: "We are looking for Wellington based men and women, slender builds, 182cm and over with flexible availability for The Hobbit."

Lucky applicants will have to opportunity to share the screen with an all-star cast including Ian McKellan, Martin Freeman, cate Blanchett and Andy Serkis.

The Hobbit's journey from book to screen has been torturous, despite the oscar-winning success of Jackson's Lord of the Ring's trilogy. The director was originally not connected with the project after falling out with New Line Studios over his payment for the first three films.

The relationship was later repaired with the studio, but Jackson originally stepped out of the director's chair, opting to produce the film, due to his commitments filming The Lovely Bones and Tintin. Guillermo Del Toro, the director of Pan's Labyrinth, was then attached to the project, only to drop out in 2010 due to scheduling clashes.

The book, which has a significantly lighter, child-friendly tone, will be split into two films to be released one year apart. The first film, titled An Unexpected Journey, will see Freeman play the role of Bilbo Baggins who embarks with a group of dwarves to reclaim their lost kingdom from the dragon Smaug, voiced by Sherlock's Benedict Cumberbatch.